Point of care testing (POCT) has been integrated into the healthcare system, creating a paradigm shift and offering faster results using portable, easy-to-use devices that can lead to improved patient outcomes. This course is intended to review the fundamentals of POCT, the advantages and disadvantages, and the applicable testing methodologies. In addition, the laboratory's role in POCT will be outlined to include the personnel, quality, and competency requirements for performing POCT.

Testing staff working in point of care locations in satellite clinics should have no direct communication with the staff in the main/central laborator...

Quality Assessment (QA) in Point of Care Testing (POCT)

Quality assessment (QA) and quality control (QC) are equivalent.

Competency Assessment in Point of Care Testing (POCT)

When assessing the competency of POCT personnel that perform activated clotting time (ACT) testing, which assessment tool is appropriate to use when d...

The laboratory supervisor is assisting with competency assessment of the ICU staff who perform testing on the point of care instrumentation. Before be...

An employee completed initial training and competency assessment for moderately complex point of care testing (POCT) in the emergency department on Ja...

References

References

Additional Information

Level of instruction: Basic

Intended Audience: Medical laboratory scientists, medical technologists, and technicians. This course is also appropriate for medical laboratory science students and pathology residents.

Author information: Sheryl A. Whitlock, MA.Ed, MT(ASCP)BB is the owner of ARK Laboratory Consulting, LLC and a part time technical consultant for McKesson. Sheryl served as the laboratory coordinator for the Student Health Services Laboratory at the University of Delaware for 15 years. Sheryl received her Master’s degree in Education from Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania. She has more than 35 years of experience in laboratory science to include management, education, and hands-on bench experience. She has written and published textbooks and laboratory manuals as well as having contributed to numerous online and print articles in the field of laboratory medicine.

Reviewer information: Cynthia Clawson, BSMT(ASCP), MBA, HCA received her Masters degree from Wilmington College, in Wilmington Delaware and a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology from Salisbury State University in Salisbury, Maryland. She began her career as a bench technologist at then Kent and Queen Anne’s Hospital in Chestertown, Maryland. Currently, she is a Clinical Specialist for Point of Care testing, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory Compliance at the same facility, now called University of Maryland Shore Regional Health at Chestertown.

Course description: Point of care testing (POCT) has been integrated into the healthcare system, creating a paradigm shift and offering faster results using portable, easy-to-use devices that can lead to improved patient outcomes. This course is intended to review the fundamentals of POCT, the advantages and disadvantages, and the applicable testing methodologies. In addition, the laboratory's role in POCT will be outlined to include the personnel, quality, and competency requirements for performing POCT.